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Knowing your natural fertility signs

The following article was submitted by Phil Druce from www.ovulationcalendar.com

 

When you are trying to get pregnant, ignorance is never bliss. In fact, knowledge may mean the difference between getting pregnant in one cycle or 12. So, you may want to spend a little time getting to know about when you ovulate.

If you can time it so you always have intercourse when you are ovulating, you can seriously boost your chances of getting pregnant. Armed with this knowledge, you may think all women would be ovulation experts, but this is not the case. We asked over nine thousand women who are trying to conceive if they know when they ovulate. Fifty-nine percent said no. But after reading through this article, you will be among the 31% in the know.

What are the signs of ovulation?

There are three sure-fire signs that every woman will experience when she is ovulating. These signs may be more noticeable in some women than others, but these are the things to be aware of:

Basal Body Temperature – This is your first morning temperature reading. You’ll notice a spike after you ovulate because of high progesterone levels, and your temperature will remain elevated until the next cycle begins. The “spike” is only 0.5 to 1.0 degrees Fahrenheit, so you will need a thermometer to track the change. If you’re serious about trying to conceive, consider charting the results every day. Download your ovulation chart in degrees Celcius here

Cervical fluid changes – Cervical mucus will go through many changes during your cycle. When you are ovulating, at peak fertility, your cervical fluid will be about the same texture and consistency as egg whites. If you can stretch it more than an inch with your thumb and pointer finger, you are extremely fertile. Right before your most fertile period, your cervical mucus will become creamy.

Changes in the cervix – Before ovulation, your cervix will be lower, harder, closed and dry. As you start ovulating, your cervix will become softer. At this time, it is referred to as SHOW (soft, high, open and wet). It will feel about as soft as your lips. And after ovulation, your cervix will return to its original state. It will feel about as hard as the tip of your nose, low, closed and dry.

In addition to those mentioned above, some women experience secondary symptoms of ovulation. These symptoms include light spotting, pelvic cramping on one side, bloating, mild nausea, breast tenderness, increased sex drive, headaches and heightened vision, smell or taste.

Get a deeper understanding of these symptoms and learn more here.

Is ovulation the same for every woman?

Ovulation is definitely not the same for every woman. Some women will notice temperature and cervical fluid changes. They may feel the cervix soften. Others simply cannot ignore the spotting, cramping and nausea they experience. And some can go the entire cycle without knowing they have ovulated at all. If you are actively trying to conceive, the best thing you can do is keep track of your cycle to know for sure when you are ovulating.

Are there other ways to tell if I am ovulating?

You may also use an over-the-counter ovulation prediction kit, which works by testing hormone levels in your urine. Saliva ferning is another option, but it is not very commonly used. To do this, you would need a microscope to look for a ferning, or snowflake-like pattern that would indicate ovulation.